Rail-clamping mechanism



RAIL CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Sept, 9, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- 1 gvwentez I mm Patented Dec. 30, 1924:.

WILLARD '1. SEARS, OF MONTCLfi-lll, Nit-w @FFIQE.

"G'N'CE, NILES-BEMEENT-POND GOIv'iPAN'Y. OF NEW YGRK, N. Y., A (JGRPORAZfQB? (3F NEW JERSEY.

RAIL-CLl-AMPING ldZECIEANlZSE/L Application filed September 5, 1921.

Be it known that I, ll nnnnn T. dnnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monte-lair. in toe county oj'r. Essex and State of New Jersey, have inv nted certain new and useful Im rovements in Rail-Clamping Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boring mills,

planer-s and like machines and particularly to mechanism for elevating the cross rail nd for clamping the same in any position vertical adjustment. lleretofore, this lamping of the cross rail has been perormed either by hand or by a separate ower means for such purpose. it is the primary object of this invention to provide means whereby this clamping operation may be readily and conveniently performed from a main power means on the machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rail clamping mechanism of the type slated wherein the clamping means clamps and unclamps the rail by an intermittent rotary movement of an eccentric clamping means in the same direction, means, as a clutch and its controlling mechanism, be ing, provided for controllingthese movements as desired.

is; further object of the invention is to provide a clamping mechanism of the above type and el ctro-magnetic means for controlling the clamping operation, the mecha nism preferably comprising a clutch and electro-magnetic means for controlling the operatir'm of the clutch in a manner to quickly and conveniently clamp and unchunp the rail at the will of the operator.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the fOllOWlllQ; specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In such drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, l have shown my invention embodied in a planer, but it will he understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are Serial No. 498,523.

not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the inventioin the claims appended to this specil'ication being relied upon for that purpose.

Referring to the figures of tl Figure 1 is front elevation embodying my invention.

2 is a partial plan view thereof.

a iartial side elevation thereof. F 1g. l: 1 l ag Fig. 5 1 a iragmentary a (i ramrnatic detail view.

on line of Fig. 6 and plan view taken showing a modified form of the invention.

6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the modified form of the invention shown in him 5.

ltererring more specifically to the drawings by reference characters, 1 indicates th base of a planer andQ and 3 a pair of uprights on the base at opposite sides of the table 4i thereon. A cross rail. 5 is mounted for vertical movement on the uprights and supports a pair of tool saddles 6 thereon. The table may he operated in the usual manner from a motor T and the cross rail may be adjusted vertically and secured in adjusted position by mechanism l'iereinafter described and preferably operated from a motor 8.

I preferably operate the novel rail clampmeans from the motor 8 through the mechanism hereinafter described. although it should be clearly understood that the same may be operated in the same manner from the motor i if desired. As illustrated in the drawings, the motor 8 is provided with a pinion 9 meshing with a gear 10 loose on a shaft 11 and in turn meshing with a gear 12 loose on a shaft 13. 'lhe shaft 11 may be called the horizontal clamping shaft and the shaft l3 may be called the rail elevating shaft. lach of gears ll) ie drawings: of a planer and 12 is provided with a toothed hub respectively forming hall of a pair of with bevel gears 18 on the ends of shaft 13.

, The horizontal shaft 11 is provided at its ends with a pair of bevel gears 19 mesh ing respectively with gears 20 on the upper ends of vertical clamping shafts 21. Each shaft 21 is mounted in b -zarings 22 and 23 and each is provided with a splined portion extending through a bracket 24: secured to the cross rail. A clamping shoe 25 carried on each end of the cross rail is adapted to be forced into clamping engagement with its upright by means of a clamping lever 26. This lever is pivoted to the bracket 24: at 27 and the long arm 26 thereof is engaged by an eccentric 28 on the vertical clamping shaft, the eccentric being splined to the shaft. In Fig. 2 the eccentric is shown in the rail clamping position and rotation of the eccentriclSO theref )i'll is adapted to unclamp the rail. Thbevel gears 19 and 20 each have the same number of teeth whereby the rotation of the horizontal clamping exactly corresponds with the rotation of the vertical clamping shafts 21.

The clutch element 1 f is splined to its shaft 11 and is normally clo'ed by means of a spring 29 on theshaft between the clutch and a collar 30 pinned to the shaft. The clutch element 1 is provided ith a ca path 31 thereon, such path be shown (hagrammatically in Fig. It a .il be noted that the two diametrically opposite halves m and g of this path are symn'ietrical, each half comprising alow portion (32, 32), a raised portion or shoulder 33) and a higher shoulder (34, 34). A pin is slidably mounted in a bracket and a roller :37 on one end of the pin is adapted to ride on the cam path. The other end of the pin is secured to one end of the lever 38 pivoted at 39. A spring 40 normally holds the pin in engagement with the clutch. A linlr ii. connects the other end of this lever with. an arm l2 on the upper end a controlling shaft 43. A handle at the lower end of this shaft is adapted to rotate the shaft to move the pin lon itudinally.

In operation the motor and gearing rotates in the direction-of the arrow (Fig. 3). With the rail clamped as illustrated'in the drawings, theroller 37 rests the shoulder 34 and prevents further rotation of the clamping shafts and eccentrics. Then the operator desires to nnclamp the rail, he moves the handle ll inwardly which operation pulls the pin 35 and the roller 37 outwardly from engagement with the cam path. The spring 29 then forces the clutch element 14F into engagement with the toothed hub portion of gearlO whereby the clamping shafts are rotated. he operator immediately releases the handle 41% whereupon the spring d0 forces the pin clamping inechanism'in the rail that the clamping shafts and eccentrics have in this operation been rotated 180 whereby the rail been unclainped. To again ef-;

feet the clamping of the rail, the operator merely moves the handle 4 linwardly and the clutch mechanism will automatically operate to clamp the rail and to stop the clamping position. It will thus be seen that the mechanism is adapted to alternately clamp and unclamp the rail by a 180 rotation of the clamping shafts and eccentrics.

The clutch element 15 is splined to its shaft. 13 and an annular flange d5 thereon is engaged by a fork d6 whereby the clutch may be shifted longitudinally. This fork is mounted on the upper end of a rock shaft 4 link e8 connects an arm on the shaft f r? with an arm 50 on the upper end of a controlling shaft A handle 52 is provided at the lower end of the shaft 51 for rotating the shaft and shifting the clutch element 15. i

l preferably provide an automatic interlocking means between the rail clampin mechanism and the rail elevating mechanism for the purpose of preventing their simultaneous engagementand thereby causing breakage of the machine. The lever 38 is notched at over the flange 45 as illustrated in Fig. In the position illus trated, the clutch element 15 is in the disengaged position. When the element 15 is moved loi'igitudinally to close the clutch 15 and thereby, drive the rail elevating screws 16, the flange is moved out of alignment with the notch 53 whereby the lever 38 cannot be moved to disengage the roller 3? from the cam path 31. The clamp- .ing mechanism, therefore. cannot be operated while the rail elevating mechanism in engagement.

The collar 30 on shaft 11 is provided with a projecting portion 54: on one side thereof. The rack shaft .1-? 18 provided with an lntermedlate arm o5 secured thereto. A

pin 56 is SllCliLbl)"1110U11t(l in bearings 57 gagement with the pin 56. The pin in such position bears against the outer end of the arm and prevents the rotation of shaft 4;? to engage the clutch 15. The rail elevating mechanism, therefore, cannot be engaged while the rail is clamped.

In Figs. and 6, I have illustrated a modified form of my invention wherein a clamp operating clutch is mounted on each vertical clamping shaft and wherein such clutches are controlled electro-magnetically. In this form of the invention, the vertical clamping shafts 21 may be in permanent driving connection with the motor 8. The cross rail 5 is provided with a bracket 58 on each end thereof in which is rotatably mounted an eccentric 59. This eccentric engages a roller 60 on the long arm of a clamping lever 61 pivoted to a pin (32 in the cross rail, the short arm of the lever engaging a clampin shoe 63.

The upper end of eccentric 59 is provided with clutch teeth adapted to be engaged by a clutch element G l: splined to the shaft 21. A spring 65 between the clutch element 64; and a portion 66 of the bracket normally forces the clutch element into driving engagement with the eccentric. This clutch element is provided with a cam path 31 like the cam path 31 heretofore described and illustrated in Fig. i. A pin 67, forming the core of a solenoid 68, is provided with a roller 69 on its end adapted to engage the cam path. A spring 70 normally holds the pin and roller projected towards the clutch element. An electric circuit 71 comprising a switch 72 is provided for energizing the solenoid to withdraw the pin and roller from engagement with the clutch.

In the drawings, the eccentric is shown in the rail clamping position. To unclamp the same, the operator momentarily closes the switch 72 whereupon the pin 67 and roller 69 are withdrawn from engagement with the clutch and cam path. The spring (35 forces the clutch element 64 into driving engagement with the eccentric. The switch 72 being released, the spring 70 forces the pin and roller toward the clutch, the roller entering the clutch upon the low portion 3i (Fig. at) of the cam path when the shoulder 34: has passed the roller. In this manner the clutch will be disengagedand the clamping mechanism left in the unclamped position as heretofore described. To again clamp the rail, it is only necessary to momentarily close the switch 72.

A spring pressed detent 73 is preferably mounted in the bracket 58 and is adapted to engage either of two depressions 7st or in the eccentric member, engagement of the detent in depression 74 serving to hold the eccentric in its rail clamping position and engagement of the detent in the depression 75 serving to hold the eccentric in its unclamping position.

hat I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, an, upright adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the upright, clamping means on the rail for securing the rail to the upright, power means for operating the machine, and an operative connection from the power means to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation.

2. In a machine of the class: described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, an upright adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the upright, power means to move the rail vertically, ciamping means on the rail for securing the rail to the upright, and an operative connection from the power means to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, a motor mounted on the uprights, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, and an operative connection from the motor to the clamping means for efiecting the clamping operation.

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, an upright adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the upright, cl'a *iping means on the rail for securing the rail to the upright, a vertical shaftadjacent the upright, power means for intermittently rotating the shaft through a definite angle, and an operative connection from the shaft to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation.

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a Work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, a vertical. shaft adjacent each upright, power means for intermittently rotating the shafts through 180, and an operative connection from the shafts to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, power means for operating the table, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, power means to move the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, and an operative connection from one of the said power means to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation.

T. in a machine of the class described, the COHilJiilzltlOD of a base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a

cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the the uprights, power means to move the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, and an operative connection from the said power means to the clamping means for eii'ecting the clamping operation, the said connection including a clamping shaft adjacent each upright and an eccentric on each shattcngaging the clamping means.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, an electric motorifor moving the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, and an operative connection from the motor to the clamping means for etiecting the clamping operation, the said connection including a clamping shaft adjacent each upright, an eccentric on each sha'lt engaging the clamping means and clutch means under the control o't the operator for operatively connecting the motor with said eccentrics for eliecting the clamping operation.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, power means to move the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, an operative connection from the power means to the clamping means itor effecting the clamping operation, the said connection including a clamping shaft adjacent each upright, an eccentric on each shat't engaging the clamping means and a clutch under the control of the operator for operatively connecting the power means With the said ec centrics for effecting the clamping operation, a spring for normally closing the clutch, the clutch being provided with a cam path extending therearound and having a shoulder thereon, and means riding on the path and adapted to engage the shoulder to dis engage the clutch, against the action of the spring when the clai'nping mechanism'has been moved to the desired position. 7

10. In a machine of the class described, the con'ibination ot' a base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, power means to move the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, an operative connection from the said power means to the clamping means forefi'ecting the clamping operation, lhe'said connection including a clamping shaft adjacent each upright, an eccentric on each shaft engaging the clamping means ator for operatively connecting the power means with the said eccentrics tor'eliecting the clamping operation, the clutch being provided "with a cam path extending therearound and having a pair ofshoulders thereon, and means riding on the path and adapted to alternately engage the shoulders to disengage the clutch and stop the rotation oi? the shaft with the clamping means in the clan'iped and unclamped positions respectively.

11. In a machine of the class described,

the combination of a base, a Wonk table sive operations or the last mentioned means 7 1 being adapted to alternately clamp and un clamp the. rail.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of :a base, a work table mounted thereon, an upright adjacent 'tl're 1 table, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the upright, power means to move the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail for securing the rail to the upright, an operative connection fromth'e power means to the clamping means for eifec-ting the clamping operation, and 'electro-anagnetic means for controlling the clamping operation.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of :a. base, a work table mounted thereon, two uprights adjacent the table, a cross rail anounted to slide vertically on the uprights, :an electric motor for moving the rail vertically, clamping means on the rail adapted to engage both uprights to secure the rail thereto, "an operative connec= tion from the motor to the -'cla-mping means for eflecting the clamping operation, the said connection from the motor to the clamping means for effecting the clamping operation, the said connection including a clamping sha tt adjacent each upright, :an eccentric on each shaft engaging the clamping means and clutch means amder the control of the operator tor operativel-y connecting the motor with the said eccentnics for effecting the clamping'operaltiomand e-leetro-magnetic means for controlling "the operation of the clutch means.

1 In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base ya work table mounted thereon, tW-o uprights adjacent the and a clutch under the control of the opertable, a cross rail mounted to slide vertically on the uprights, power means to move the operation of the said connection, and a single rail vertically, clamping means on the rail switch for controlling the said electro-magadapted to engage both uprights to secure netic means to clamp and unelamp the rail. 10 the rail thereto, an operative connection In testimony whereof, I hereto aflix my from the said power means to the clamping signature.

means for effecting the clamping operation,

electromagnetic means for controlling the WILLARD T. SEARS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,521,329, granted December 30, 1924, upon the application of Willard T. Sears, of Montclair, New Jersey, for an improvement in-RaiLClamping h'lechanism, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4:, line 115, claim 13, beginning With the article the, second occurrence, strike out all to and including the syllable and commia ation, line 118; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of l\.[arch, A. D. 192 5.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

